Carter Isbell Public Speech Why Attack on Titan Is the Greatest Literature of Our Time Before I even begin this speech, I should explain what manga and anime are. Manga is basically a Japanese style comic book with illustrations which illustrates frames of what will later be adapted into what is known as we call ‘anime’, which is a very general term used to describe a Japanese cartoon. Hajime Isayama, better known as the reincarnate of Jesus Christ, himself, is the author of the Attack on Titan (AOT) manga. Isayama has been developing the story since the year 2006 and this year it is sadly coming to an end. Like most anime tend to do, AOT didn’t gain much traction until its later years. Recently, with its fanbase growing exponentially, many people are beginning to realize that Attack on Titan may be the greatest literature of our time due to its one-of-a-kind storytelling, stunning cinematography, and the hype/loyalty around the show. So, this is the best storytelling I personally have ever seen. Most stories, essays, whatever you want to call them, follow a basic format of an introductory paragraph, body paragraphs, conclusion, and even have guidelines deeper within them. The hook in Attack on Titan is one of the strongest I’ve ever seen. The first episode begins very peacefully with the main character, Eren Yeager, waking up from a dream under a tree. After a few minutes of the episode, which was basically spent introducing Eren, his mother and father, and his friends: Mikasa and Armin, the audience can notice that this is no average setting, as the city they live in is surrounded by huge walls. Just as the audience’s mind can begin to wonder, the Colossal Titan, which is taller than the wall around the city, appears out of nowhere on the other side of the wall and kicks a hole in it, allowing hundreds of titans into the city. Amidst the chaos caused by these 15-meter-tall butt-naked humanoids, Eren and Mikasa head back to Eren’s house to see if his mother was okay- which she was not because her lower half was crushed under the debris from their home being trampled. While trying to lift the debris off of her, the two children are escorted away by a member of city’s military police. While looking back to his mother over the man’s shoulder, Eren watches his mother, who is flailing frantically, be picked up and eaten by a smiling titan. Now the content of this scene alone doesn’t make this show interesting to me… if anything that scene was actually extremely difficult for me to watch. But with a pilot episode like that, you’re left with never-ending questions in your head unless you keep watching. Which I did, and I’m very glad I did because the story just got more and more interesting all while keeping the same metal appeal. So you’re probably thinking, “So what, the show had a good hook, every show has one to a degree”. Yes, that is fair, but there is more. If you don’t want to hear spoilers then I’d recommend closing your ears. All the way through the show, the audience is basically left questioning morale. Even of the main character. This is caused by the dichotomy displayed by the two most well-written characters in anime history: Eren Yeager and Reiner Braun. To give a brief description, Eren and Reiner become allies in the survey corps which is a military to fight titans and uncover the mystery that lies behind them. Reiner, who is a little more mature and older becomes somewhat of a role model for Eren. This is until Reiner reveals he is one of the titans that caused the collapse of the walls around the city and allowed Eren’s mom to get eaten by a pure titan, then Reiner becomes Eren’s greatest enemy. This happens around the beginning of season 2 and Reiner sort of disappears from the story a little bit after running away. Around season 4, we get to see where Reiner ran off to. Marley, which is an entirely different place from where Eren lives, and where Reiner is told that Eldians (the indigenous people of where Eren and Reiner used to live) are devils and they should all be wiped out. It’s not even that the military of Marley was telling Reiner that simply to brainwash him, it’s just what the norm was to believe in that part of the world. And Reiner in particular had to actually act on that hatred because it protected his family from persecution. Suddenly, the bad guys aren’t bad guys anymore and we’re left questioning if there were ever bad guys to begin with. As a matter of fact, here’s the scene where Reiner reveals himself to Eren *begin playing that scene*. I’m no expert, but I’ve wasted damn near 20% of my life watching TV, movies…, anime, and this show conveys emotion through cinema like nothing else I’ve ever seen. Just watching this scene made me feel the emotions of disbelief, betrayal, loss, and whatever other emotions our protagonist Eren was feeling during this moment. This show isn’t all sad and shockers though, there’s a lot of scenes meant to excite the audience and have you on the edge of your seat. One of these scenes that really stuck with me is Captain Levi Vs. the Beast Titan. Levi’s squad has set up a last-chance suicide mission which would allow Levi to slay the beast titan which has completely demolished the entire squad fighting it. *Insert scene of Zeke demolishing the squad then Levi coming through* At first glance, this is just flashy animation backed by an emotional story. True, but you also must acknowledge that Isayama had to have thought about how the audience would feel watching certain parts and make all kinds of adjustments here and there to keep the provide the viewer with the most intense experience possible all while maintaining cinematic integrity. Now when you leave this class, just ask one of your friends if they watch the show. If they haven’t, they suck and shouldn’t be your friend. If they have, they’ve probably already got a pitch and PowerPoint ready to explain to you why Attack on Titan is the greatest literature of all time. I will literally have the longest conversations with some of my friends about theories around the show or maybe even just how hype it is. It brings a sense of comradery, there’s a kid named Seth who goes here, some of you might know him. On my first day of English last semester, we were doing introductions and me and him got to talking about AOT with each other I immediately knew dude was cool. That was actually the only time I spoke to him in that class but sometimes we see each other in the hallway, and we’ll have like a 30 second conversation about the latest episode. Regardless of age, interests, personality, you will enjoy this show. There is no other piece of literature that can provoke moral questioning, hype an audience up, or establish comradery between an audience like Attack on Titan does. This is why it is the best literature of our time and Hajime Isayama is a god among men. Go home and watch it and we’ll talk about it next class.
